17 September 2017

Sparks - Hippopotamus

I
knew that the Sparks have been going for a while, but I was amazed to find out
whilst writing this that they have been together for forty-five years.
That is long that I have been alive and a lot longer than many other bands out
there, it is a brilliant feat that they have outlasted so many of the contemporaries
and other bands who have come & went after them. Hippopotamus is
their twenty-third studio album and their first since The Seduction of
Ingmar Bergman, as well as the 2015 collaboration with Franz Ferdinand, the
fantastic FFS (our review of FFS linked here). Recorded in
2016, it finds the Sparks returning to their traditional sound, but somehow, I
feel that they never left that sound.01
– Probably Nothing

Starting
off this album is “Probably Nothing”, a song which is wondering what to say and
bemoaning that it is probably best to be forgotten and it is bringing them a
feeling of embarrassment. It is a true introduction track, short and to
the point with a sense of irony and charm. It is a beautiful number, one
with all the best part of the Sparks in a one minute, twenty odd seconds piece
of beautiful music.

02
– Missionary Position

Sex,
sex, sex, but is all about the traditional position, without much adventure to be added to the tale. I love
this song, it is a beautiful ode to being satisfied and to longevity to that
tried and tested sexual pose. As a lot of pop songs talk about sex,
it is refreshing to hear a song that does it with those old-school innuendos
and a sense of humour. You only get this sort of song from the Sparks,
they have brought their A-game from the start here and it is a joy to these
ears.

03
– Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me)

The
video for “Edith
Piaf (Said It Better Than Me)” is a still-animation where the Sparks are
chasing a bird through Paris, but the bird ends up capturing them in a cage and
flying away. It is a moody piece, one that is full of drama and a vocal
performance that gives the chills that only Russell Mael can provide.
This is one of those moment where a song hits all the right spots instantly, it
is an instant hit from the hands of Ron and Russell, definitely one of the best
songs I have heard so far in the second half of 2017.

04
– Scandinavian Design

Not
every track is going to be golden on a fifteen-track album, it is an impossible
task, even for people like Sparks. “Scandinavian Design”
does not contain that magic touch, it is lacking something, much like the room
described in the song itself. It is not too bad, but it does not gain
traction for me and it ends up feeling a bit hollow at the end of each listen.

05
– Giddy Giddy

I
love the quirky nature of the Sparks, they can make a song which would sound
like a clumsy mess in other hands and you are loving it. “Giddy Giddy” is a
brilliant example of how they do this, it is a song with a silly hook and it
has a quirky nature that is undeniable. It is also an ear worm that will
stay in your head for a long time after it has finished, but it is so good that
you will not care.

06
– What the Hell Is It This Time?

“What
the Hell Is It This Time?” is one of the strongest song on
this album, with a song about someone who is constantly testing peoples’
patience’s to their very limits and then some more after that. It is a
slow build in some ways, it is not one that is in any hurry and it sounds as if
it could easily be played on for hours on end. I love it, another
perfectly crafted piece from the Brothers Mael.

07
– Unaware

“Unaware” is an art
pop song about a lady is has no awareness of thing around her, going through
life in a fog of her own creation and it is all played out over a dark and
atmospheric pop number. It is a song which leaves the silly, fun nature
of the band to the side and it sounds beautiful for being different. I
love that the Sparks can switch their style so easily and make it sound
natural, “Unaware”
is a great example of how to make a brooding pop song and not sound
pretentious.

08
– Hippopotamus

The
first single to be released from the album, a minimalist artistic statement
about various objects, people and things in a pool with a strange conclusion
which resolves nothing. It is akin to the recent ending in Twin Peaks, it is
not designed to give you answers as it is just designed to make you think a
little too deeply about some strange lyrics which has been created as they
rhyme. It also reminds me of “Dick Around” from
the brilliant Hello
Young Lovers, a lost classic from Sparks. It is a great song, one that will gain important in
their back catalogue in the years to come.

09
– Bummer

Once
again, Sparks change their style on this album with “Bummer”, creating a moody
song that is as catchy as anything else on this album and it stands well on its
own two feet. They have a strange ability to write fantastic chorus
section, the verses are works of art and it makes me want to jump around when
it is being played.

10
– I Wish You Were Fun

A
song about someone you love to bits, but who is a fun as a fart in a deep-sea
diving suit, “I Wish You Were Fun” is another silly moment for this song with
an Oriental/London feeling to this song. The multi-cultured sound is
beautiful, the lyrics make me chuckle each time they are on and it is just a
silly little catchy song. What is there not to love here?

11
– So Tell Me Mrs. Lincoln Aside from That How Was the Play?

I
love the music on “So
Tell Me Mrs. Lincoln Aside from That How Was the Play?”, it just has such a
massive hook to the chorus sections that it is impossible to ignore. The
lyrics are a little lost on me at the moment, but sometimes I find out the
genius of a Sparks song way after I have started to listen to it. It
would not be a Sparks album without at least one enigma for later, but this is
a particularly strong one that is working its way into my heart.

12
– When You’re a French Director

A
song about being a French citizen who directs either films or plays, how
everything is moody and you are filled with distant for the USA and their fake
actors/actresses. Featuring a guest appearance from French director Leos
Carax, it is another OTT song, one that plays on a few stereotypes on both
sides of the pond. It is an OK number, but not one that has the same
charm as other Sparks songs. But like a bad pizza, a bad Sparks song is
still pretty decent when compared to other artists.

13
– The Amazing Mr. Repeat

I
love this minimalist song, its fast-paced verses and the lack of anything other
than the core of the band. It keeps everything so simple, so tight and it
is in and out of the door so quickly that your head is left spinning.

14
– A Little Bit of Fun

The
penultimate song of Hippopotamus
is called “A
Little Bit of Fun” which is not a fun song at all, in fact it is a little
bit moody and sarcastic to be honest. There is a tone to the vocals which
is mocking and beautiful, it is one of the reasons I love this band. They
just make some fantastically wonderful songs that should be labelled with
warning signs that sarcasm is contained, what a brilliant piece of art!

15
– Life with the MacBeths

“Life with the
MacBeths” is a dramatic ending to this album, a wonderful duet with Rebecca
Sjöwall about the dramas that appear on our TV screens, with a look about and
it sounds like a tabloid drama in operatic, pop form. Once more, Sparks
have done something different and it works in their favour. It might be a
bit too strange for some people, but the faithful (and I count myself as one)
will lap this up and sing its praises to the heavens.

Hippopotamus
is a wonderful album, a fantastic work of art that is worthy of the praise it has
been receiving. It is great to see that this album will be heard by a
larger audience who will hopefully listen to some of their recent back
catalogue and see what they have missed. The song writing is of the usual
high quality, with only a few tracks which do not quite make the grade.
Because of this, it feels like it could have been trimmed by a couple of tracks (just a
couple) and it would have been a smoother album. But I would rather have
too much from this band than too little, they are the sort of act I could listen to for weeks
and never get bored. This album shows them flexing their own muscles properly for the first time in ages, it also shows that they still have it, they can still compete with the best on their
own two feet. Now, can we also have another FFS please, as well as more
solo Sparks as well? I truly hope so, as Hippopotamus is
the best art pop album of 2017!

Welcome to the final round-up review of 2017! Similar to the Round-Up posts I put up earlier in the year, I’m going to be posting some bull...

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Album scoring system

0 - This is proof there is no deity1 - You're really are touching the bottom of the barrel with this one2 - If only there was some quality control3 - It could have been a bit better4 - Well it's alright, but still......5 -Not for everyone but played well6 - Now I see where you were going, but it's not quite there7 - This is good and well worth a check8 - Oh, now you have my attention and maybe my money, time and heart9 - Almost perfect....Almost10 - This is proof there is a deity(For albums that are too crazy to be marked)Crazy Cat symbol - This album cannot be marked, so here is a box of kittens

Singles/EP Marking System

0 - Only to be listened to by people bless with the gift of being deaf1 - Not so much on the bad that it is bottom of the barrel, but it can see the stuff down there2 - Not bad, not good - so average it is Zen3 - Decent, getting there4 - This is really good, well worth checking out5 - I wish I had extra ears to love this more(For Singles/EPs that are too crazy to mark)Crazy Cat symbol - This release cannot be marked, so here is a box of kittens